Hymm For The Missing
by tjmack1986
Summary: Auggie's gone missing, and there is only one person capable of finding him alive. The question is, how do you contact a ghost? Season 4 pre-finale.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_This is a piece I've been working on, off and on for a couple of months. My muse seemed to wane a lot, and I just couldn't get a good rhythm with it, until I was asked to write another Covert Affairs piece. That gave me the motivation I needed to finish this. Now, this is supposed to be just a one-shot, but if I get enough reviews asking for another chapter, then I will write a follow up chapter. Otherwise, it'll stand as a one-shot. I hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

With her back perched firmly against the door-jam leading into his office, Joan sighed. Her hands cradled her constantly growing stomach. Any happy thoughts that she would be feeling at finally being able to become a mother were squashed the moment that she had received the information. It was merely a picture accompanied with a small note that said nothing more than: _Stop Looking_.

It was the picture that caused Joan's heart jump into her throat. She had already lost Annie Walker, and it was something that had broken her heart, but now Auggie Anderson had gone missing. Joan was almost certain that the only person that would be able to locate Auggie alive, was currently dead.

"Joan."

She pressed her eyes closed, before turning to face the man that had stolen her job. Taken it from her without the slightest bit of remorse.

"What are you doing?"

Calder sighed heavily, "Everything I can. We will find Anderson alive."

Joan shook her head, "No, you won't. Your greatest asset is dead. Annie Walker would be your best bet at finding Auggie alive, and you killed her."

Calder swallowed thickly, trying his hardest to side-step Joan's minor interrogation. The almost parental way that she spoke of both of her agents made him realize what exactly he had taken from Joan. These people, they weren't just her co-workers, they were her family. They were her responsibility, and the fact that she couldn't do anything to help bring Auggie in alive was killing her. Calder could see every ounce of pain in her eyes at the fact that she had to sit this one out. That she wasn't even allowed to know what was going on.

"I'm doing everything that I can … personally. I swear it, Joan. Everyone that should be on this case, is on this case."

Joan just stared at Calder, she knew that the man was trying to tell her something, but she just couldn't figure it out. The exhaustion of the day was starting to wear on her, as her knees started to buckle slightly.

"Look, have a seat. I have to get back to the investigation, but I will try to keep you informed, Joan, I swear."

Calder sighed, as he made sure that Joan was sitting comfortably, before he turned to leave. It had taken everything in him to not blurt out that he had elected the presumed dead, Annie Walker, in locating her former flame.

* * *

Auggie groaned as he came to, the last thing he remembered was the pain from fist after fist connecting with his face. All he knew was that someone had taken him because they knew that he knew that Annie was still alive. That fact alone told Auggie who was behind his kidnapping. Henry.

"Ah, good, you're awake." The voice was low and menacing. Auggie knew why Henry had chosen this man to conduct his kidnapping and subsequent torture. Nothing is scarier to a blind person than a man with a menacing voice who liked to beat the holy hell out of you.

"Yeah. Do you have more fun games we can play? I really like the one where you punch my face until I'm unconscious."

The deep, chest-rattling, chuckle that erupted from his kidnapper was enough to send a chill up and down Auggie's spine. "Oh, I have plenty of fun games for you, Anderson."

It was times like this that Auggie hated being blind the most. If he could at least see who was trying to intimidate him, it would be less scary, or at least that's what Auggie told himself. He could feel the man standing right in front of him. So, when the man reached forward and yanked Auggie's shirt off, He was ready for it.

Auggie swung his head forward, connecting with the other one's stomach hard. An audible crack could be heard, that made Auggie smile. At least he had injured his kidnapper.

"Dammit!" The man swore loudly, before swinging his big fist down against Auggie's jaw.

Auggie cringed at the feeling of the skin below his eye ripping, and felt the light trickle of blood dripping down his cheek.

"Serves you right."

"I'm still not talking." Auggie stated, before he sat back in the chair that his arms were bound behind.

"Oh, you will. Everyone talks eventually. It all depends on how much torture you wish to endure before you speak."

Auggie stared blankly at what he hoped was the kidnapper, before spitting at him. "Screw you."

"So … the hard way it is." The kidnapper grinned. "This is about to get a whole lot more fun … for me at least."

* * *

Annie stared at the wall, her mind elsewhere. Back in Washington, with Auggie. The message that she had just received from Calder lay in front of her. It was simple, straight to the point. _Auggie missing. Need help. _

It put her entire mission in perception. How it wasn't just her life she was screwing with, but everyone else close to her as well. Not only did most of everyone else have to grieve her fake death, but the ones that knew that truth were in danger.

Annie knew who had Auggie. There was only one person willing to commit crimes to keep Annie truly dead. One person's life that depended on her death becoming real. Henry Wilcox. It was time to speed up her mission. It was time to put a final end to Henry Wilcox, and save Auggie's life.

With a heavy sigh, Annie picked up the phone, and dialed the number that Calder had given her in a true time of emergency. It was time that Annie Walker came home. It was time to end this all once and for all.

She waited a couple of rings, almost ready to hang the phone up when the other line picked up. "Walker?" It was Calder, and his voice was barely a whisper.

"Yeah. This changes things, I hope you know that. I'm not willing to risk anyone else's life for this mission, Calder. It's time to end this mission once and for all. I'm coming back to Washington. I know who has Auggie, and you should too."

With that Annie hung the phone up. She glanced at the mirror directly in front of her. The first thing Annie had done when Eyal had dropped her off, was to grab a hotel room and dye her hair. She no longer looked like herself, but she fit the image that she had for her assumed name, Jessica. Her hair was still just as long as it had been before, she couldn't bring herself to cut it, but it was many shades darker than her usual light blonde.

The woman looking back at her from the mirror didn't even look familiar. There was a anger … a hatred in this woman's eyes. She was no longer the same Annie Walker she had been before she had started trying to take down Henry Wilcox. She also wasn't the same spy. Annie Walker was deadlier than she had ever been, mainly because her life and the mission before her demanded her to be deadlier.

Annie hated the woman looking back at her, because she didn't even know who she was anymore. With a grunt of anger, Annie punched the mirror, and groaned as the glass bit into her skin hard, drawing blood.

No matter who she was now, there was one thing that always mattered more than the mission and more than her own life, and it was those she loved and cared about. She was going to grab her passport and she was going to board a plane for Washington. Annie wasn't entirely sure what she was going to do once she arrived, but there was one thing she was sure of. That she wouldn't stop hunting down Henry Wilcox, until Auggie Anderson was home, safe and sound. Even if it meant her fictional death became a real one.

* * *

Calder stood outside of Joan's office. The troubled look on her face, caused his heart to ache just a little. He had hated keeping the woman out of the loop, but it had all been very important to Annie's plan, that no one knew the truth that didn't need to. Auggie had been necessary, because Annie was certain that if Auggie thought that Calder had really shot and killed her, that he would in turn attempt to go after Calder. Plus, she needed Auggie to know if she had some sort of tech emergency that only Auggie could figure out. Joan had been the first person on Annie's _do no tell _list, because Annie cared far too much about Joan's well being, and she didn't want to pressure her former boss when she was pregnant.

Calder figured that Annie magically showing back up in everyone's life would be much harder on the very pregnant Joan, so he figured now was the right time to inform Joan that Annie was actually still alive.

"Excuse me, Joan, could I have a few minutes?"

Joan lifted her head, and nodded.

"Would you mind grabbing some lunch with me?"

Joan's eyebrows raised slightly. She had been spending the time since her and Calder had parted trying to decipher the message he had tried to give her. It was like it lingered on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't quite spit it out.

The look on Calder's face gave her hope that maybe he was going to give her the un-dechipered version. "Sure. Fifteen minutes?"

Calder nodded, "I'll meet you outside."

Joan sighed in relief, maybe just maybe she would get some answer's at lunch.

* * *

Auggie groaned as another thick, meaty fist connected with his midsection. That time he heard something snap, and knew that he had at least one broken rib. "I'm not saying anything."

At that point, he heard a new set of footsteps. Lighter than the thug that had been beating him silly for what felt like days.

"Mr. Anderson. This would be a lot simpler for everyone involved if you'd just talk."

Part of him had expected Henry, but it was someone with a gravelly voice. Not one to induce fear, but also sounded like someone you didn't want to screw with.

"No." Was all Auggie said. Truthfully, even if he did want to talk, which he didn't, he didn't even really know where Annie was. Calder gave him the need to know information. She was alive and she was no longer in the country.

"Mr. Anderson, I would hate for all this pain you've been dealt to be for naught."

This raised Auggie's attention, he quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so? Then how about you let me go?"

A chuckle, well at least the new guy liked jokes more than his other torturer. "Nice try, Mr. Anderson. If you still refuse to talk, then I'll be forced to _make _you talk."

"If I remember correctly, speaking is still a choice. So, how do you suggest that you're going to make me do anything I don't want to do?" Auggie asked, more than a little afraid to hear the answer.

"I shall be taking your choice away, Mr. Anderson. It's nothing a little truth serum can't fix. Which will officially make all this pain worth nothing. Is that what you want?"

Auggie shrugged. He wasn't afraid of truth serum. Though he was trained to fight it off, he hadn't really put his talents to use. He wasn't even sure if he remembered how to fight it off. Even if he didn't, it wasn't like he could give them anymore information then they already had. "Bring it on."

* * *

Joan poked at her chicken alfredo with her fork, while she waited for Calder to explain their impromptu lunch.

He sighed softly, before opening his mouth. "I assume you know that I asked you to lunch for a reason, right?" Joan merely nodded, as she stared at him. "There are some things you need to know, but what's about to be said here, stays here. Got it?"

Joan nodded again, "You do realize that I had your job before you … right? I can keep a secret, Calder."

He cleared his throat softly, before speaking again. "It's about Auggie. I have someone coming to town that's going to find him. Someone that you know." Joan couldn't help but stare at him as the pieces started to fall into place. "It's Annie Walker. She never died … we faked her death to take down Henry Wilcox. She's coming to town to finish the mission and to save Auggie."

* * *

Joan bit at her fingernail, while she stood next to Calder, in a shaded corner of the small park. According to Calder, Annie had picked the location for seclusion. Taking a small look around their surroundings, she'd have to applaud Annie's ability to keep hidden. The small park was almost completely empty, and the location at which they were standing was far enough away from any of the park visitor's that they wouldn't be able to see them.

Then again, Joan was still trying to come to terms with the fact that Annie was in fact alive. The wind picked up a little, chilling Joan just a little, as she cradled her stomach.

"Joan." The voice was familiar and the tone was tender. "Calder." Joan heard her voice change slightly, less soft and tender toward Calder.

"Annie." Joan whispered as she took a step toward her. Annie held out her arms and engulfed Joan in a hug. "Why didn't you tell me your plan?"

Annie sighed, she had hated lying to Joan, but it had to be done. "I couldn't. I didn't want to risk your career or life because of me. I only told those that needed to know. Calder and Auggie. That was it."

Joan looked hurt as she pulled back. "You told Auggie? You weren't worried about him?"

Annie sighed again, "Of course I was. But I needed someone in tech that I could trust. Auggie is the only one that I would ever trust with this, and look at what happened."

A knowing look crossed Joan's face, "You think Henry's behind this." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"I know Henry's behind this. I'll kill him if he's hurt Auggie."

Joan sighed, as she took a page from Annie and faced Calder. It was time to come up with a plan. Hopefully one that would take down Henry once and for all.

* * *

The plan was set, and Annie waited in bated breath, as her heart beat heavy in her chest. She was standing outside of the warehouse that Calder and Joan had tracked one of Henry's top assets to.

"Are we sure about this?" Annie whispered into her comm piece, as she attempted to peer into one of the windows.

"If you're absolutely sure that Kahali Massad would be Henry's go-to man for this job, then yes. We watched the tracker you managed to sneak onto his sleeve. This is where he is."

Annie sighed. Before Joan even spoke the words, Annie knew it was true. As she rounded the corner toward the back entrance for the warehouse that Kahali was in, she noted three armed guards by the entrance.

"No, you're right. He's here. Just a small problem." Annie whispered, as she laid her head against the side of the building, keeping an eye on the guards.

"What's that?" Calder asked.

"Three guards are watching the back entrance. I can't take all three down without alerting someone inside."

Calder cursed under his breath. "There's nothing you can do?"

"I didn't say that," Annie answered, "I can approach them. I just can't promise that I can take them all out without being found out myself."

"Whatever's necessary, right?" Calder asked. He didn't want to think that one or both of his operatives could get killed tonight, but he knew that Annie would do whatever needed to be done to save Auggie. He knew that he couldn't' stop her from going forward, and that he might as well give her permission to continue on.

"Yes." He thought he heard a hint of fear in her voice in just that one word. "I'm going off comm." It was the last word that they heard before the line went dead.

Annie sighed, as she stepped forward. Any action against these men would only end up getting Auggie killed. Her number one mission here was to extract Auggie at any cost. "I think your boss is looking for me." Annie shouted at the guards.

"Annie Walker?" One shouted back, his accent was familiar, but Annie couldn't quite put her finger on it. All she knew was that he wasn't American. Then again, Henry didn't have many men in his arsenal that were American.

"The one and only." She shouted back.

"Put your hands up, I must take you inside. Kahali has words for you, possibly some death as well." The guard said with a smirk.

Annie sighed, all or nothing, "I will give myself up on one condition. Kahali has a good friend of mine in there. I want him to be allowed to go free … not killed and be told he's free. I mean, I literally want to see him walk out of this warehouse alive. Then I'm all Kahali's."

The guard contemplated her offer, before nodding. "I think Kahali will agree to this. Let's go, Annie Walker."

* * *

Auggie listened to the new sets of footsteps. One set, was heavy, definitely a man, most likely in boots of some sort. It was the second set that had him confused. Light, probably a woman, it sounded like she too was wearing boots.

"Ah! Mr. Anderson." Kahali started, patting Auggie's shoulder. One of the only parts on his body that didn't scream with pain. "It seems as if I won't be needing you any longer. I have found what I'm looking for."

Then it dawned on him. Who the second set of footsteps belonged too. "Annie?"

Annie felt tears well in her eyes as she stared at Auggie's black and blue face. She hated that he was in pain, and she knew that he would hate her for what she was about to do. "I'm so sorry Auggie."

"Let Mr. Anderson go," Kahali mumbled toward one of the guards that was in the room.

Once his arms were free, Auggie stood up and was handed his cane. "I'm not leaving. Not without Annie."

Kahali chuckled, "But, Mr. Anderson. Don't you see. Annie Walker gave herself up to save your life. If you cause me too much trouble though, I might have to renege on our deal and kill you anyway."

"Don't!" Annie shouted, before lowering her voice, "Auggie. Please, just go. I made this decision on my own."

Auggie felt his chest tighten at what her words meant. This wasn't just a _see you in a little while _kind of goodbye. This was a final goodbye. Annie knew that she wasn't going to make it out of the warehouse alone, and if she was willing to give herself up to save him, then that must have meant there was no other way in. No other way to save him.

"I don't like this." He whispered, as tears filled his eyes. He would never be ready to say goodbye to Annie Walker. Not when she still owned his heart.

"I don't either, Auggie, but you're tougher than me. I know that you can come back from this. If I didn't do everything in my power to save you, I wouldn't be able to. Do you understand?"

Auggie understood her perfectly. She was calling herself weak, when all he knew her as was the strongest person he had ever met. It felt like his heart was going to literally leap from his chest. It hurt deep down, like someone was trying to chisel out what was left of his breaking heart.

"I'll never forget you." He whispered, as he moved forward to hug her. "Never."

Annie smiled, before placing a chaste kiss on his cheek, before being yanked backward by the guard that held her wrists.

"Now, go, Auggie."

With a sniffle, Auggie nodded, as one of the guards led him out of the warehouse, and handed him his phone. "Don't call the police." The man said, before slamming shut the door.

He felt like falling to the ground and never getting back up. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke into his phone, "Call, Joan."


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** _By popular demand, here is the follow-up chapter. It's pretty short, but it tied the story up in a nice, neat little bow. Enjoy. Sad times ahead ... apologies for that.

* * *

Auggie stared ahead. His heart broken as he stared at the coffin before him. This time her death wasn't fake. Annie Walker was truly dead, and it was all his fault. She had died to save his life, and he wished that he had the strength to have told her no. To have stood up to his captor. To have saved her life, like she had saved.

Joan sat to his left and Calder was on his right. Though the man had never been Annie's number one fan, Auggie felt Calder's body shake just a little, and he knew that the man was crying.

Joan was clinging tightly to Auggie's hand, as he felt tears slipping down his cheek. He heard the words being said, but his mind was elsewhere. It seemed to fly by, before Joan was tugging him into a standing position.

"Auggie." Joan whispered, before she pulled him into a hug. "I have to tell you something."

Auggie nodded, and allowed Joan lead him out of the cemetery, before she pulled him to sit down. "Go on." He said finally.

"You know how hell-bent Annie was to take down Henry, Auggie. What she was willing to do … how far she was willing to go." Auggie merely nodded, words alluding him. "She was willing to throw all of it away to save you. She was willing to risk everything. You meant the world to her. Much more than a mission. Auggie, she was so in love with you. She left you a letter and asked me to read it to you if something happened to her."

Auggie sighed, as a few more tears slipped down his cheek. "Why did she have to die?" It was a simple question. Auggie had to figure that she had another choice, one that didn't end with her dying.

"Auggie, I wish I knew why she did what she did. I don't think any of us will ever have an answer to that question. Not beyond the fact that she was willing to die for you."

Auggie's heart constricted at Joan's words. He felt the same way about Annie, and in that moment he wished that she would have just left him in that warehouse. That Annie would have just left him to die. At least then she would be alive and his heart wouldn't feel like someone had ripped it apart.

Joan took his silence as a sign to move forward. To read him Annie's letter. She sighed, as she glanced over the clumsy writing, and suddenly felt like this was too personal for her to read, but it was the only way for Auggie to know Annie's final thoughts on what had happened. Joan knew that Annie only trusted her to read him the letter, and to give thoughts on what Annie had chosen to do. Joan had known when Annie left to infiltrate the warehouse, that Annie didn't plan on returning. It was like Annie knew what to expect when she got there.

_Auggie, _

_If Joan is reading you this letter then that means that the worse possible case scenario has happened. That I'm dead. I'm sorry about that, but if it is the reality of the situation, then it was worth it. Dying to protect you is the best thing I could have done. I've done so many things in my life. Things that I'm not particularly proud of, but saving your life, that is something that I can be proud of. _

_I knew when I signed up with the CIA that there was always that chance that might not make it to see tomorrow. It never scared me because I tried not to think of it. I just went in, guns blazing, and thought about the consequences afterward. _

_I know that I was probably one of the most difficult agents that you've had to handle, and I apologize for that. I do hope that I was one of the best as well, because I did try my hardest to complete every mission with as little damage done. _

_Before I continue, Auggie, I want to thank you for being the best friend a girl could ask for. You were the single most important person in my life. I know that you will take it upon yourself to inform Danielle of my death, and I'm sorry. Tell her that I loved her dearly and that I'm sorry that I broke my promise. _

_Auggie, before I finish this letter and leave to find you, I need you to know that I love you so much. No matter what I thought before, you were my greatest love, and if I'm dead because I saved your life, then know that I couldn't have died happier. Knowing that you were safe is the best gift I could have given myself and the world. _

_Please don't be too sad, Auggie. I need to know that you can move on. That you can find someone else to share your generous soul with because you deserve to be happy. Know that I'm always with you, and that I died loving you more than anything. _

_Love, _

_Annie_

* * *

Auggie swiped at the tears in his eyes, as he placed a shaking hand against Annie's headstone. A year had passed by since her earth-shattering death. He was slowly starting to learn to move on. Auggie didn't feel comfortable dating, not yet. Not when his heart still belonged to someone else. That didn't mean that he didn't find comfort in the opposite sex, but it meant nothing. Meaningless sex so that he didn't feel so lonely.

The nightmares had started to fall off. For months he woke up every night drenched in sweat, breathing heavily with tears slipping down his cheeks. The nightmares were so vivid. It was the same thing every night. He had his sight back, and he was cuffed to the chair in that warehouse. Slowly, Annie was drug in, fear in her eyes, as she whispered the same thing to him. _I saved you, Auggie, why couldn't you save me?_

Joan hadn't allowed him back to work yet. He had been forced to see a psychologist in order to be cleared to return to work. Instead his psychologist had found him unfit for work, and diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"I can't believe it's been a year already." Auggie knew the voice all too well.

He offered his visitor a weary, sad smile. "Me either. It feels like it was just yesterday."

Joan placed a comforting hand on Auggie's shoulder. "How have you been?" She asked softly. She hated that she hadn't kept in contact with Auggie as much as she would have liked.

"Okay, most of the time." He answered. His smile turned more genuine when he heard Joan's son gurgle softly in her arms. "Is that little Mac?"

Joan chuckled, "Yeah, except he's not so little. Definitely taking after his daddy size wise."

Auggie sighed, "Well, I should get going. I have an appointment with Dr. Johnston today. All I really want, is to be released to return to work. Being alone is bad for me, Joan. That's when my thoughts run rampant, and I think of all the things I could do to save her life."

Joan put another comforting hand on his shoulder, "As soon as Dr. Johnston releases you, Auggie, know that your job is waiting for you."

Auggie offered what he hoped was a smile, before turning to leave.


End file.
